A Private Confrontation
by Mark Manning
Summary: Tali confronts Shepard on why he hasn't been acting himself recently.


Tali stood in the engine room of the Normandy SR-2, looking over her notes for the umpteenth time. She had been doing this for the past few hours, but no matter how many times she read those lines on her data pad, she could not seem to focus enough to actually decipher their meaning. Her mind was clouded by her thoughts. Shepard has been acting very strangely in recent times, she felt he had been acting very strangely to her. When choosing who to take on a mission with him, he never picked her. The last mission she had been on with Shepard involved a trip to Omega, and that was weeks ago, he had been on countless missions since. He had taken down countless threats, saved countless lives, while she sat in the engine room going over notes. Tali couldn't help but think she may have done or said something that had offended him. But, even so, she couldn't bring herself to attend his private quarters and ask him.

Shepard was about to embark on another mission. He had received the message earlier that morning and was deciding on who would make up the other two numbers in his squad. Originally he was going to take Jack for some Biotic help, and balance out the squad with Garrus for some backup firepower. Just minutes after he had briefed his crew about the mission and who was going to be a part of the squad, Tali came to Shepard. He was gazing at his map of the galaxy.

"Shepard?" Though Tali had only said it very softly, Shepard still jumped slightly at the sound of her voice.

He turned to see Tali standing there.

"Yes?" He said meekly. This was strange to Tali, she had never seen the commander like this, he seemed… strange. But he seemed his usual self, to anybody else at least.

"I…", Tali was being her usual self in the presence of Shepard, stumbling over her words as she spoke, she tried to sound more confident of herself, "I-I'd like to ask you some questions. A-about the mission."

"Erm, right. Go on." Again, this was strange, he was a lot less confident around her than usual.

"Erm. I would like to know why I was not chosen for the mission."

"Well, erm…" He was cut off by Tali interjecting with,

"I would also like to know why you have been acting so strangely around me recently. Have I done something wrong?"

Kelly was in close proximity of their conversation, pretending to be working on her computer at her station. But, she had stopped working when she had noticed how the Commander had reacted to Tali's presence. As soon as the Commander had begun the conversation he had been acting strangely, and her interest piqued at Tali's last query. Kelly had noticed how they acted around one another, she found their meetings extremely… interesting.

"Erm, c-can I speak to you in private?" Now Shepard was stumbling over his words.

"Alright." Tali tried to sound as firm and confident with her reply as she could.

Shepard led Tali away from the rest of the crew, he led her to the crew's quarters where two crew members were sat playing a game of cards. The Commander kindly asked them to excuse them for a few minutes. Once the crew had left, and the doors had slid shut behind them, Shepard turned his attention to the confused and worried Tali.

"Tali, you asked me why I had not chosen you to go on this mission today, and the reason is…", obviously Shepard had not yet gathered his thoughts. "The reason I didn't choose you is… the mission just seems too dangerous, I don't know much about the mission. All I know is that we need to answer a distress signal that Joker picked up this morning. All we know is what that signal details to us, which isn't a lot. So I just thought it best to…" Again, Tali had interjected before he had finished.

"But Shepard, I haven't been out on any missions since Omega, and that was weeks ago. Plus, you have been acting strangely around me since that mission, did I do something to offend you?"

"What? Tali… no."

"Then, please… explain… because I don't understand what's wrong."

"Tali... the mission, it's just too dangerous… I… I… don't want you to get hurt…"

"What? But Shepard, we've been on countless missions together, we've protected one another in the heat of battle. Why would you suddenly feel this way now, and why are you so concerned about me over the rest of the crew you pick for your squad?"

"I… I haven't only just started feeling this way." Shepard was forming his sentences as best he could, whilst maintaining as much eye contact with Tali as he could. "I-I've always felt like this, but in recent times I don't believe in my own ability to protect you, these new weapons… they- they can rip through your shields in a matter of seconds if you're not careful. And- and I-I'd much prefer you stayed on the ship, with the new armour plating, and the new shields, you'll be a lot safer here. Plus, we haven't had an attack launched on this ship yet."

"No, I-I can't believe you could be so selfish!"

"Tali… Tali, what do you mean?" Shepard maintained full eye contact now, and his face had shifted, Tali had never seen him look more concerned than he did right now.

"You say I'll be safer here. But, what you don't realise is while I'm here, safe, you're off on mission after mission. You come back with your weapons damaged, some beyond repair, your armour pierced, and sometimes… you're even wounded, yet your squad are fine. You think it's better for me to stay here on the ship where I'm safe. But, what you don't realise, is that I feel the same about you. I'd prefer you to stay on the ship, while I take a squad down there."

"But Tali…"

"At least let me come on the mission with you, at least if I'm there, I can watch your back, personally… I mean, I trust the rest of the crew… I do trust them. But, the only real way to put my mind at rest that you're safe is to see it for myself, to see that in the heat of battle, you don't just have somebody watching your back, you have me watching your every move, willing to give my life for you."

"But, Tali…"

"I know. You don't even have to say it. I've already seen you risk your own life for me. When I heard the news of your death, a part of me died in that moment, during my missions for the fleet I didn't even want to come back, I didn't see the point, you were the only real person I cared about. Without you I…"

"I'm sorry Tali… I-I didn't know you felt this way. I had no idea…"

"So, all I ask of you is that you let me come on this mission with you. That, or abandon it altogether, because I'm not letting you go without me."

"Tali. I couldn't, if anything ever happened to you I…" Shepard didn't like to dwell on this thought, every time it came into his head, he tried to dismiss it. "I-I couldn't live with myself, I couldn't live…"

"No, you're not going. Either take me with you, or don't go at all."

"Tali, I promise I'll be okay."

"Then take me with you, if you can promise your own safety, then there is no need to panic about me."

"Tali, I have to…" Shepard made a move for the door.

"No!" Tali couldn't hide her true emotions any longer. "No, Shepard. I…"

Shepard stopped in his tracks, as Tali wrapped her arms around him, she loosened her grip on him slightly as she looked him in his eyes, as their eyes met through the helmet of her enviro-suit.

Shepard wrapped his arms around Tali, and pulled her closer. During this embrace, the doors to the quarters opened. Shepard and Tali's private exchange had now become public to six of his crew members. Tali was the first to notice that there act was being observed by others, her blush was hidden under the helmet of her enviro-suit, but she did not want to let Shepard go, she had waited all these years for this moment, she wasn't going to let some crew members ruin it. Shepard felt the same, he'd also waited years for this. The crew members were shocked by the scene before them, and one crew member in particular seemed extremely embarrassed, he having caused this scene to become public.

"Co-Commander I-I'm so sorry sir!" He shouted as he stood tall and saluted the Commander, before closing the doors, allowing Shepard and Tali to continue their conversation and show of affection in private. Though that didn't stop the other five members spreading what they had witnessed around the ship.


End file.
